Petunia plant named ‘Fipetred’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Fipetred’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading and mounding growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large dark red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIPETRED’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Petunia plant,botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Fipetred’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new freely-branching Petunia plantswith early and freely flowering habit, and attractive flower color.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2007 in De Lier, The Netherlands of a proprietary selectionof Petunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111040, not patented,as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection ofPetunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111050. The new Petuniaplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environment conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fipetred’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fipetred’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading and mounding growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large dark red-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have dull red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the maleparent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the male parentselection have dull red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia×hybrida‘Fort Red’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,839. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the newPetunia differed from plants of ‘Fort Red’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous than plants of        ‘Fort Red’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Fort Red’ differed in flower        throat color as flowers of plants of ‘Fort Red’ had        darker-colored throats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Fipetred’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 10.5-cm containers during the springand early summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, TheNetherlands. During the production of the plants, day and nighttemperatures averaging 18° C. Plants were 13 weeks old when thephotograph and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Fipetred’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111040.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111050.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at            temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six to eight days at            temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 19            days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 14 to 21            days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, outwardly spreading and            mounding growth habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about six            primary lateral branches each with multiple secondary            lateral branches; pinching is typically not required.        -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 35 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 24 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; viscid.        -   Color.—Close to 144B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 5 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent;            viscid.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 138A; venation, close to 138A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,            close to 138B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Relatively large            salverform flowers arranged singly arising from leaf axils;            freely flowering habit with usually about 35 to 40 flowers            developing per plant; flowers face upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants typically beginning            flowering about 6.5 weeks after planting; plants flower            continuously from late spring into the autumn in The            Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on            the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Length: About            4 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color: Close to 53A.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 4.5 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Tube length.—About 3 cm.        -   Tube diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 2.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.5 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal margin: Entire.            Petal lobe texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:            Densely pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 45A; venation, close to 53A;            color does not fade with development. Petal, when opening            and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 45B; venation,            close to 53A. Throat: Close to 46A; venation, close to 53A.            Tube: Close to 46A; venation, close to 53A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals per flower, sepals fused at the base. Sepal length:            About 2.5 cm. Sepal width: About 5 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly            oblong. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal base: Cuneate. Sepal            margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Densely pubescent; viscid. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 143A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: About 40° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Densely pubescent; viscid. Color: Close to            144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 1.8 cm. Filament color: Close to            NN155D. Anther shape: Broadly reniform. Anther length: About            2 mm. Anther color: Close to N155A. Pollen amount: Moderate.            Pollen color: Close to NN155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 2.3 cm. Style length: About            1.8 cm. Style color: Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Flattened,            three-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 143A and 145B. Ovary            color: Close to 145A. Fruits/seeds: Fruit and seed            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia.

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Fipetred’ as illustrated anddescribed.